


Love Potion

by consultingviking



Series: The Alchemist and the Baker [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Also the Cassandra/Varian is one sided on his part, But it's there so I figured I'd tag it anyways, But mentioned only - Freeform, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Love Potion/Spell, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Romance, Secret Crush, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24145840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consultingviking/pseuds/consultingviking
Summary: "It seems to me that love could be labeled poison, and we'd drink it anyways."A little oneshot that takes place during and after "Great Expotations." After the events of Corona's science fair, budding castle pastry chef Sophie receives an unexpected visitor that causes her to contemplate her growing feelings towards her best friend Varian.
Relationships: Cassandra/Varian (Disney: Tangled), Varian (Disney) & Original Female Character(s), Varian (Disney)/Original Character(s), Varian (Disney)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Alchemist and the Baker [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754893
Kudos: 13





	Love Potion

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this little oneshot a couple years back when the Tangled show was in its first season, but given the fact I was dealing with depression, grad school, and the worst art/writing block in my life on top of that, I never did anything with it. Therapy, moving in with my boyfriend, and being away from my toxic, emotionally abusive mother means I'm starting to get back to my old self again, so I plucked this out of my archives, fixed it up, and decided to publish it. It's been ages since I've done that, so pardon me if I'm a bit rusty.
> 
> This work features my Tangled original character, Sophie Flanagan, whose profile you can find on my DeviantArt account here:  
> https://www.deviantart.com/bluesilverpandas/art/Tangled-OC-Sophie-Flanagan-761614650

_What a mess._

Sophie sighed as she surveyed the area around her stall. The castle had set up a small tent selling baked goods for the science fair, and she had spent the better part of her day running it. Being the royal family, of course they didn’t need the money, so it was agreed that all the proceeds would be donated to the Corona Society of Current and Future Scientists. It had been Rapunzel’s idea, and a great one at that.

Unfortunately, thanks to the whole vortex incident, it also meant a lot of cleanup on Sophie’s part afterwards. Much of the stall was in disarray thanks to the high winds, but Sophie counted her lucky stars that she’d been able to sell all her wares for the day. So there had been no real harm done… well, except maybe her pride.

Grabbing the broom she’d borrowed from a friendly shopkeeper, Sophie began the process of sweeping up the mess. She could handle picking up the dust and debris, but the large, overturned table would give her some trouble. Maybe Varian would be willing to help her bring it back to the castle… once he was done talking to Cassandra, that is.

Sophie watched the two of them interact from a distance and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She wasn’t _that_ bothered by Varian’s little crush on Cassandra, she just thought that, given the difference in their ages, he was wasting his time trying to seriously woo her. Cassandra clearly had more to focus on than the romantic stylings of a fourteen-year-old boy, so in Sophie’s humble opinion, Varian really ought to just cut his losses and move on with his life.

As it were, Sophie knew there were plenty of other girls that would be seriously interested in him – in particular, a certain fourteen-year-old girl who worked in the castle kitchen, loved to bake, spent the day minding a charity stall, and wouldn’t dream of abandoning him to further her own agenda.

Okay, so maybe she _was_ bothered by Varian’s little crush on Cassandra. Big deal. That was life, wasn’t it?

Sophie finished sweeping up the little pile of dirt and gathered it at the front of her fallen stall. There, that was all set, now she just needed a dustpan to dispose of it. Sophie looked up to begin her search and was surprised to find a woman standing right in front of her. And not just any woman either – the nutcase who had caused this whole mess in the first place.

Sophie looked Fernanda Pizazzo right in the eye and put on her best customer service smile. “Sorry,” she said through clenched teeth. “We’re closed.”

Fernanda looked down at Sophie and laughed. “I’m not here to shop, child.”

“No?” said Sophie. “In that case, maybe you’d like to help clean up this mess? The one your little contraption caused?” She smiled. “It’s only fair.”

“Wish I could, kiddo,” sighed Fernanda. “But I have to get going soon.”

“Of course you do,” Sophie gritted her teeth but kept on smiling. “I’m sure you have better things to do than hang around a silly little science fair.”

Fernanda smiled. “Don’t you?”

“What can I say?” Sophie shrugged. “Some of us have to work hard to make an honest living.”

Fernanda laughed again, and Sophie decided she really didn’t like the sound. As a matter of fact, she didn’t like anything about this woman, and wanted nothing more than to get as far away from her as possible. Yet here she was, hanging around and wasting Sophie’s time that she’d rather be spending with… no, best not to go there today.

“Are you much interested in the sciences, sweetheart?” Fernanda asked Sophie. “Or perhaps… just one scientist?”

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat, but nevertheless, she rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, come on,” Fernanda smiled. “I was a young girl too once, I know how it goes. Are you trying to tell me that this stall was your _only_ reason for coming out here today? No one else you wanted to see… or support?”

Sophie’s traitorous eyes stole a glance towards the spot where Varian was standing, still talking with Cassandra. He was smiling and laughing at something she said, and the sight made Sophie’s stomach clench.

Fernanda didn’t miss a beat. “That’s what I thought.” She followed Sophie’s gaze towards the pair and let out a low whistle. “Oh honey,” she said, giving Cassandra a once-over. “Now I see why you’re so upset.”

“I’m not upset!” Sophie tore her gaze away from Varian and glared towards Fernanda. “What could I possibly have to be upset about?”

Fernanda ignored her outburst and simply shrugged. “You tell me.”

This was ridiculous. Sophie didn’t have time to talk with weird strangers about whatever feelings she may or may not have had towards her best friend. It was simply nobody’s business.

“Don’t you have someplace to be?”

“Ah yes, got to get going,” Fernanda sighed dramatically. “Wherever Dr. Croix goes, I go as well. Although I’m sure you know what that feels like, don’t you?”

“Enough,” Sophie let out a huff and turned away from Fernanda. “I’m not talking with you anymore.”

“Then listen,” Fernanda said. Reaching into one of her many pockets, she took out a small object and pressed it into Sophie’s hand, closing the young girl’s fingers around it.

Sophie raised an eyebrow at the false inventor. “What is this?” she asked.

“A little something of my own design,” said Fernanda airily. “Just slip this into the next treat you give that boy, and I guarantee he’ll fall in love with you.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes. “You’re crazy.”

“Perhaps,” Fernanda gave her a knowing grin. “But it will work.”

At long last, she turned around on her heel and began walking away from Sophie, the fair, and thankfully, all of Corona itself.

“ _Au revior,_ little lovebird!” She sang as she floated away. “Best of luck!”

Sophie couldn’t have been happier to see her go. Glancing down at her hand, she looked at the object Fernanda had placed in it: a small, glass vial filled with a shimmering pink liquid.

_A love potion._

Sophie swallowed hard as she stared at the little object that was now in her hand. She’d heard rumors about these powerful things, but had never seen one in person before, let alone held one. Her pulse raced as she recalled the stories her mother whispered to her on cold winter nights, stories of men and women alike losing all knowledge and reason in pursuit of true love. But that was no love, her mother had warned her quietly, for nothing on earth could replicate true love – it was dangerous and deadly obsession.

 _“Never mess with a love potion, my girl,”_ her mother had said, shaking her head somberly. _“That’s dark magic right there.”_

Sophie’s blood ran cold as she remembered the finer details of those stories, and ran colder still as she thought about putting Varian in such a position. For all her feelings towards him, spoken or unspoken, she could never bring herself to manipulate him in such a way.

Even if he never looked twice at her again.

Speaking of which, it appeared as if he had finally finished his conversation with Cassandra and was now strolling over to where Sophie was standing. Thinking quickly, she shoved her hand into the pocket of her apron and smiled brightly.

“Hi Varian!” she said brightly. “Glad to see you’re all right.”

“I’m fine, thanks,” he responded with a smile. “But are you? I saw Fernanda over here earlier. She wasn’t bothering you, was she?”

“No, not at all,” lied Sophie, and Varian gave her a look. “Okay so she _was_ , but it was nothing big. She was trying to sell me something.”

“Figures,” Varian rolled his eyes. “Can’t accept defeat gracefully.”

“Or clean up her own messes,” Sophie gestured towards her fallen stall.

“Ah, yeah,” Varian visibly winced as he assessed the damage. “I’m sorry about that, Soph.”

“Don’t be,” Sophie shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault. And everything got sold anyways, so it could have been a lot worse.”

“Still, I’m glad you didn’t get hurt,” Varian went over and started picking up the table. “Let me help you out with this.”

“Thank you,” Sophie beamed at him and went over to lift the other side. “So,” she said, changing the subject. “I take it the conversation with Cassandra went well?”

“It certainly did,” Varian smiled in her direction. “I think I made a pretty good impression on her today, wouldn’t you say?”

“I would say,” admitted Sophie. “What woman doesn’t love having her chores done?”

Varian rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Of course I do,” Sophie laughed. “All I’m saying is that if you’re so good at helping out, you ought to make yourself useful in the kitchens one of these days.”

“I’d make a mess in there and you know it,” replied Varian seriously. “Plus, Clara scares me.”

“Varian!”

“It’s true! She said if I didn’t behave, she’d bake me into a pie and feed me to the royal family!”

“That was when we were ten and you’d just scared me half to death!”

“And I’ve never forgotten it!”

“You weren’t meant to!”

The pair dissolved into giggles as they finished packing up the table, but had to stop for several moments because they were laughing so hard.

“Okay, okay,” said Sophie, calming down at last. “So now that you’ve unofficially won Corona’s science fair and quite possibly Cassandra’s heart, what are you going to do next?”

“Hmm,” Varian looked at her hopefully. “Eat dinner?”

Sophie grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”

Smiling back at her, Varian went over to pick up the table while Sophie gathered up the remains of the stall and loaded them under her arm. The pair began their walk back to the castle together, laughing and reminiscing about the day’s events.

All the while though, Sophie could feel the weight of Fernanda’s love potion burning a hole in her pocket, and with it, the constant reminder of her true feelings for Varian. Being with him this way and seeing him smile as brightly as he was only brought them to the forefront of her mind.

But she would deal with both her emotions and the so-called "potion" itself another time. The latter would most certainly involve throwing the thing away and forgetting about it altogether, but as for the former? She didn’t have a clue.

Sophie wouldn’t think about that today though. Today, she would enjoy what promised to be a nice dinner with one of her best friends and favorite people.


End file.
